Dark Secrets

by Jack Steele

  Thoughts of her time on holiday, at school and the many awards at the academy, all played out like a movie of her achievements to this point. There was so much more to come but now it appeared that they would be unfulfilled dreams.

  It was obvious why he had brought her here to this lonely and godforsaken place. The evidence she gave at the trial to send him down had made her job at the Strategic Investigation Unit secure. She was interviewed and praised for her courage in facing this monster. Yet deep down there was something even more sinister that only she knew. It was a dark secret that had come back to haunt her and now she would pay the ultimate price.

  The wait for his final blow seemed to last an eternity. So much so that it took her a long while to realise that the monster had left the room. She breathed a moment’s sigh of relief but knew if she was to make it out alive then everything depended on her colleagues finding her fast before he returned again.

  Chapter 6

  Carl had left London and was making good progress up the M11 motorway. The remainder of the journey would take around 30 minutes. Thankfully the rain had stopped but the heavy goods vehicles were throwing up a lot of surface spray, making it difficult driving conditions. Add to that the car was being buffeted by the strong winds; it made for an uncomfortable journey.

  I wasn’t sure when I would be able to make this journey again once our new investigation started. A part of me felt I should be in London looking for the fugitives but this trip was important to me in my private life and Carl was the only one I could trust with this. He had got me through these last few days. A friend like him was priceless and I hope he knew that I would jump through hoops of fire if he was in danger. That’s how much I cherished his friendship.

  Over our morning cuppa he had insisted on driving me, putting on his mock angry face when I suggested going alone. Once he raised his fists I faked surrender by putting my hands up. Besides, I had secretly hoped he would volunteer to take the wheel so I could concentrate on getting my head around our new case.

  The journey to Norfolk enabled me to sift through the paperwork which consisted of the details of various riots and attempted breakouts at Broadmoor. There were graphs showing how effective the National Tactical Response Group were in breaking up violent incidents in prisons and now they had been deployed to the high security hospital.

  I gave up trying to keep the open folder and all the loose papers on my knees rather than spill out onto the floor. I closed the file and chose to use my smartphone to search the web for other sources not aligned to the Government. Independent focus groups and organisations that claim to be non-affiliated are always good to use. They can give another perspective to ensure I have a rounded opinion on the subject.

  It wasn’t that long before Carl announced ‘Welcome to Norfolk.’ I looked up to see the sign by the side of the road. It was time to give him directions.

  ‘The Sanctuary is located near Thursford. You won’t find it on any internet searches as it is shrouded in secrecy.’

  ‘I remember you saying Gemma was quite fragile when you last saw her.’

  My mind turned to that visit just a few days ago. It was bitter sweet. On the one hand I was so happy that she was alive after agonising a whole year since she went missing, but on the other she was just a mere shell of what she used to be. The tragedy of our situation laid bare in that one visit. She wanted to see me but was unable to look me in the eye or have a dialogue because of her delicate nature. I had wanted to hold her in my arms but couldn’t. It left me feeling a mix of emotions. Sad to see her like that, angry at her ill-treatment by her abductors and frustrated that I couldn’t find out who had taken her. Maybe on this visit I could have those questions answered and most of all I could hold her in my arms.

  My phone rang and I took it out of my inside jacket pocket. I looked at the display and saw it was our commander’s secretary.

  ‘Hello Sheila, is there anything wrong?’

  She coughed with her hand over the mouthpiece before regaining her composure.

  ‘I have just been contacted by the hospital and they say he, the commander, is responding to treatment. So you can visit him later today.’

  ‘That is great news Sheila. Thank you.’

  I relayed the information to Carl who nodded and smiled. It was a relief to the both of us. The last investigation had proved to be more difficult without his leadership. The fact that I had to step up and take charge was always his intention but in a more controlled and gradual promotion rather than being thrust into the thick of it.

  Eventually Carl turned off the road down a long gravel track lined by trees either side still clinging onto their autumnal foliage. It made for a spectacular scene with orange, yellow and russet leaves everywhere the eye could see. Then that uneasy feeling returned to my gut as soon as I saw the substantial property loom up in front of us.

  I sat in the stationary car for a few moments as I collected my thoughts. The last time I was here I had to switch off my mobile phone so I removed it from my inside jacket pocket and handed it over to Carl who wished me luck. I noticed Stella’s name flash up on my mobile. Carl gestured to me that he would take the call and so I made my way anxiously to the front door.

  Chapter 7

  The thirty minutes I had spent inside the building had once again made my head spin. My brain was in turmoil with more questions than answers as I signed out of the Sanctuary and trudged to the waiting car.

  ‘How did it go?’ Carl asked as I buckled up staring at the freshly painted entrance door. My mind was trying to come to terms with what had just happened or more to the point what hadn’t. I knew I should have kept my expectations low of how Gemma would feel about seeing me again. Despite the staff saying she was making good progress. The only Gemma I saw in that room was the same timid woman who had once been such a big part of my life.

  If there was any improvement then it was the amount of times she had made eye contact and I could see she had made an effort with wearing some makeup. Yet how I yearned to take her hand and walk among the landscaped gardens having a proper conversation. I was promised that would develop over time as the visits increased. So this therapy was going to take a lot longer than I had first imagined.

  ‘She used to be so strong and feisty and loved her role in the Border patrol. If only she hadn’t gone into that building during the drugs raid she may never have been abducted and abused by whoever took her.’ I began to feel angry. It was a constant jab at my heart the fact that I knew Marcos Viletta had delivered her to the Sanctuary. He was an old adversary who worked for the Mafia and we crossed swords a number of times. There was a sinister connection between them and this place. I realised that while Gemma was in recovery the best course of action was to do nothing. When she was back home with me then that was a different matter but for now I needed to concentrate on finding Geb Blood and those that had escaped with him.

  To be fair to Carl, he just waited until I managed to drag myself out of my brain fug once again.

  ‘We can chat more about it over a pint mate.’ I signalled for him to drive away. Except he didn’t and seeing that I know Carl extremely well, I knew he was deliberately holding back on something important. When Carl told me what that was I felt like I had been hit by a thunderbolt.

  Chapter 8

  Carl recalled the phone conversation he had with Stella while I was inside the Sanctuary.

  ‘Miranda has been abducted.’

  My heart sank at hearing those words.

  ‘Stella left the morning briefing and headed straight over to Miranda’s house in Ilford. When there was no reply she let herself in with her spare key but there was no sign of her. So she tried ringing her again and that’s when she heard Miranda’s mobile ringing in the front garden. Along with the phone she found keys and her open handbag by the railings which back onto the entrance to the park.’

  My immediate reaction was to get back in touch with the other members of the team but Carl was one step ahea
d of me.

  ‘Stella and I thought it best to reconvene at headquarters but this time force Jasper to attend in the hope that his contacts may know who has her. Graham is using CCTV to locate her journey back from the bus stop to her house.’

  I was pleased with the response. The fact that Miranda was a close friend as well as colleague meant that this case in particular was going to impact on all of us.

  ‘How are we going to pin Jasper down though? As you know Joe he is always doing his own thing.’

  ‘I’ve been thinking about that all night Carl and I think I’ve come up with a solution.’

  This was going to be one of the biggest gambles I had ever made but in the circumstances we had no other option.

  Chapter 9

  On our arrival back at headquarters I was pleased to see Jasper speaking to both Stella and Graham who sipped their hot beverages listening to him give vent to his feelings. He didn’t even acknowledge us as we took our seats; such was his focus on getting his point across.

  ‘We need to act fast if Miranda has been taken by Geb Blood because of what we discovered last time. He gathers them together and then tortures, mutilates and kills them.’

  Carl shot him a look as he fidgeted uneasily in his chair. The knuckles on his clenched fists were raised like limpets clinging to a rock. I had to take control of the situation and rein in Jasper because none of us wanted to hear the reality of what Miranda could be suffering, but first I had to play to his narcissism.

  ‘I totally agree with you Jasper and we are going to need all your expertise here if we are going to find her. Our best chance of that is by you taking a key role.’

  I watched as his self-importance lapped up my every word. I had played to his egotistical nature. He was once again dressed all in black. I knew nothing about fashion but either turtle neck sweaters were in vogue or he was wearing it ready for when it was. Carl nicknamed him the milk tray man which was an old commercial he had saved on youtube. I tried not to smirk as I continued with my reasons for Jasper’s temporary promotion.

  ‘Firstly, the obvious one is your ability to mix with all the unsavoury characters you get to meet on a daily basis and hopefully via their information locate Miranda. You must remain undercover and it is vital that you remain so for the good of the SIU.’

  I scanned the faces of both Stella and Graham who must have been perplexed and wondering where this was leading.

  ‘We know that Geb Blood may attempt to abduct you two seeing that it was you who arrested him at the scene of his crash last year. Carl and I could be targeted by means of association. So that just leaves you Jasper. He doesn’t know you and as long as that’s the case then this investigation stands a better chance of a successful outcome.’

  Jasper was eager to learn where I was heading with such praise.

  ‘He is nicknamed the Chameleon due to his apparent blending into the background. So my question is how on earth do we catch this man? The answer is we flush him out with another Chameleon. Someone we know but nobody else does who can move around unnoticed and invisible. This won’t end until you bring him in, get a conviction and send him back to Broadmoor. Therefore Jasper you will be leading this investigation.

  Chapter 10

  You could have heard a pin drop while the three of them tried to figure out the implications. Carl had discussed the pros and cons with me on our journey back to headquarters. The question of trust was his main argument against Jasper leading the investigation but he could see that the benefits far outweighed the negatives.

  Jasper sat there with arms folded and a smug conceited look across his face. He nodded as I went through my plan in detail.

  ‘To repeat myself, this won’t end until we arrest and send him back to Broadmoor. Therefore I strongly advise you to check in with each of us morning, afternoon and evening to keep us all in the loop.’

  All the doubts that Carl had expressed I managed to counter with many reasons why he had to be the leader and this is what I set out now to a sceptical looking Stella.

  ‘Unfortunately, my profile, yours and Carl’s have been exposed all over the media with the last two investigations. Our faces have been splashed all over the tabloids today so there is no way we could work alongside Jasper undercover. So you will be working on your own a great deal of the time, which of course you are used to doing. If the worst comes to the worst and we are all abducted then by the grace of God it will be you that finds us Jasper!’

  Potentially this case could be our last if Geb Blood caught us all. This investigation relied heavily on us finding him before he found us.

  Chapter 11

  The briefing ended with all of us having clear objectives. Graham and Stella were to concentrate on the CCTV footage of Miranda’s abduction and to track where she was taken. Jasper was to contact his informers to locate the fugitives. Carl and I were to visit the brickworks, the Blood family residence, Commander Stern in hospital, but first on the list was Johanne Julious. I insisted that we all kept in touch via our Bluetooth earpieces which Graham would monitor.

  Carl put on his sunglasses as we stepped outside. The sunshine was bright and warm when it appeared from behind a cloud. A complete contrast to what we had to deal with earlier. It definitely lifted my spirits to see the patches of blue sky. Yet as soon as the sun disappeared the chilled air reminded us of the approaching winter.

  Carl had told me in no uncertain terms that our first stop had to be a coffee house. He had insisted how important it was to eat, drink and take time to think rationally about our next move. As we pulled into the car park he reminded me that an officer would be waiting at Johanne’s house to provide her with protection.

  As we parked up I watched a cable car leave the Emirates Skyline station. Everyone milled about inside the capsule keen to take photos of the amazing views. When I said how nice it would be to sit outside and watch them, Carl scoffed and made an unerring path to the warmth inside. He sat down on an empty sofa while I waited in line to place our order.

  ‘Hi Joe,’ smiled the waitress, ‘The usual?’

  ‘It’s great to see you Jen. Yes please.’

  ‘I watched you in a movie the other night or was it Ryan Phillipe?’ she teased, ‘make sure you don’t change your look. I’ve a few friends that would love to meet you!’

  I smiled and made small talk while I paid for our order. The room was only half-full which surprised me considering the last time we were here it was so busy that I had to wait in a queue for ages. Maybe it was the season or we had hit lucky.

  I picked up a copy of ‘The Wharf’ and passed it to Carl who was watching the red strapline running along the bottom of the BBC News screen. I watched the ‘Breaking News’ tag while waiting for our coffees.

  ‘Four days of rioting in Broadmoor and another fire breaks out. No statement on who is injured.’ The strapline then informed us that the hospital’s clinical director was under pressure to resign.

  ‘It’s a dog eat dog world Carl.’ I sighed as I picked up the coffees. The media were thirsty for news. I was still getting used to this side of things while our commander was temporarily out of the picture. So far the live updates had been handled by the clinical director of the hospital but I knew as soon as the press were told of our involvement that it would be me standing in front of the cameras and delivering a report from outside the SIU.

  The mere thought of that scenario made me shiver. The commissioner would announce tomorrow morning that our investigation team were leading the hunt for those that had escaped. That would put us directly in the firing line. I wondered if the ministers and general public realised just how dangerous this case was for us.

  I put the coffees down and placed the empty tray on top of another table. No sooner had I sat down I noticed Carl rub his hands together in expectation as he spied the waitress bringing our hot food.

  ‘See what a great idea this was,’ he said, eyeing up his cheese and mushroom toastie. I took a sip from my latte then a bit
e of my bacon roll just as my earpiece came to life. I rolled my eyes as Carl took a sip of his espresso. I wiped my greasy hands with a paper napkin before answering.

  ‘We have struck lucky,’ was Graham’s opening line, ‘The camera opposite the park entrance filmed everything outside her house. He wore a werewolf mask; the van was a white transit and the time of the abduction was 11.24pm. There must have been one or two neighbours who witnessed the attack so can you arrange for a house to house with the Met.’

  ‘Great work Graham, I will get onto it immediately. Any luck with where the van went to next?’

  ‘I’ve got Scott working solely on that. There are large gaps apparently but he has promised not to rest until he has a final location.’

  We ended our conversation so that I could update the Police Commissioner George Drake. He was on his way over to Broadmoor but would rubber stamp my urgent request of complete co-operation between us and the various intelligence agencies. He also promised to setup immediate house to house interviews around Miranda’s neighbourhood. He agreed with me that someone must have seen something.

  No sooner had we finished talking, Graham contacted us again with some startling news.

  Chapter 12

  ‘It appears that the rumours are true and the breakout was meticulously planned with insider assistance because, get this, the computers went down all at the same time across the high security hospitals network. Hackers have issued a ransomware demand locking down the computers and won’t release them until a six figure sum has been paid in bitcoin.’

  Both Carl and I were at a loss when he mentioned Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency. I asked him to repeat his explanation but in layman terms.